Hold Your Fire: Wait on ADS' PYRO 1394 WebCam

ADS Technologies' PYRO 1394 WebCam ($119 street), a FireWire-based Internet video camera, may be a bit ahead of its time, but this does not excuse the fact that it performed poorly. The WebCam's purported key strength is its IEEE 1394 connectivity, also known as FireWire or iLink. The IEEE 1394 specification supports data rates of 100, 200, and 400 Mbps, roughly 33 times faster than the WebCam's USB-based competition. WebCam did deliver in the speed department, but unless FireWire can offer comparable usability in both software and hardware offerings at a competitive price, a USB connection will prove more convenient and effective every time.

It should be made clear to anyone attempting to use the WebCam that desktop and laptop setup are markedly different: Trying to get the product to work on our laptop proved both confusing and costly. At the outset, the company warns you that the Digital Video (DV) PC Card needed to run the camera--we used ADS' 1394 PYRO DV PC Card ($129)--will not provide sufficient power, so the company suggests its PYRO 1394 HUB ($90), which contains an optional power supply. In addition, the WebCam only works with Open Host Compliant Interface (OHCI) 1394 devices (including computers from Gateway, Sony, and Compaq), so if you wish to use a third-party DV card, those from popular manufacturers like Matrox, Pinnacle Systems, and Canopus are excluded. In comparison, USB devices are practically universally compatible and are easily powered by a laptop.

In addition, although WebCam delivered on its claim to capture 640-by-480 video at 30fps (frames per second), few, if any, applications require this level of performance. Most Web cameras operate at a resolution of 320-by-240 and 15fps or less. In quality testing against Kodak's DVC325 USB camera, WebCam's video output looked like a layer of gauze was stretched over the lens: Details were blurred, and most colors appeared faded.

From a software perspective, ADS uses multiple third-party programs to accomplish the same functions as the unified interfaces provided by other Web camera vendors. The manual doesn't explain when to use the bundled applications, so you feel compelled to install all of the programs and figure it out for yourself. After two days with the WebCam, we were still unable to grab still frames, which is a straightforward process with most other products.

That said, we found several of the bundled programs to be very worthwhile. ArcSoft's VideoImpression is a capable tool for capturing multiple clips, joining them with transitions, and then compressing them for e-mail or other transfer. We also enjoyed VIDiO's Live and Clipstore, which allow you to publish live and canned presentations on the Teveo Web site; however, both VIDiO programs can be downloaded for free and are compatible with all Web cameras.
Noticeably missing was software that supports motion-detection capabilities, as well as the ability to periodically snap and upload a still image to a Web site. These happen to be two useful security applications that are typically bundled with Web cameras.

The PYRO 1394 WebCam was fast, no doubt about it, but the lack of usability and a high price are its downfall. USB, on the other hand, has been around longer, and as a result it's more efficient and user-friendly. Unless FireWire is your preferred method of connectivity and price is not a concern, you should look elsewhere for a Web camera.

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